‘Some days are for listening to the Velvet Underground on repeat’. Lead singer Steven Dove takes through his perfect day.
Psychic Markers are a band of kindred spirits made up of four cosmic cowboys and one cosmic cowgirl. That new frontier image well introduces their cinematic soundscapes and 50’s-tinged doo-wop. With flashes of neo-psychedelia this band take pop hooks and stretch them out into hypnotic and elongated jams. They are a gang bonded by a collective psyche where the rule of friendship and instinctive democracy trumps any forced idea of aesthetic. Saddle up as lead singer Steven Dove meets us on the road for Going Through The Emotions…
What are you working on at the moment?
I’ve just written a piece of music for the Tate for a trailer they have made. I’m also in the process of applying for a loan so I can build a studio, tricky stuff… London is littered with over-priced shitholes, no surprises there though..! And writing new songs/ideas for Psychic Markers album 3.
What has been your biggest life challenge and what did you do to overcome it?
I lived and worked in China a year or so back and being that far outside of my comfort zone was kinda scary at times and the project was really challenging. I was working on the sound design for a Punchdrunk show called Sleep No More which is a huge 6 storey building which the audience can discover freely. We had over 24 hours of audio to work with so it was super crazy. You just have to throw yourself at these things, no matter how difficult it may seem. I tend to think of it as jumping from a height without a care of what lies beneath.
How important has music been to your mental health?
Extremely. I used to think I was part of some Truman Show-style life in which I was being watched and to a certain degree I would use music to soundtrack it. If I’m sat on a train I’ll listen to something dreamy like Hiroshi Yoshimura and it kind of takes me out of my body, enabling me to reflect from a different angle. Music enhances emotion, have you ever listened to Glassworks (Philip Glass and Michael Reisman) while watching snow fall? That shit is deep, it blows me away.
What would constitute a ‘perfect’ day for you?
Some days I wake up and yearn for a day in the countryside on my own, with my musical instruments. Some days all I wanna do is have a beer with those friends who live far away from me.
Some days I wish it was Christmas Day.
Some days my knees hurt and I wish they didn’t.
Some days are for listening to the Velvet Underground on repeat.
Some days are for reading in the sun.
Some days are for watching the snow and listening to Glassworks..!
Some days are perfect days.
Perfect days are some days different than others.
For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
Central heating.
Complete this sentence: “Ace mental health for me means…”
8 hours of sleep a day.
What do you eat to stay healthy?
You gotta keep things balanced and try not to get caught up in food trends. Counterbalance pizza with a glass of wheatgrass juice. Word of warning – wheatgrass juice sucks.
What is your favourite motivational quote?
Don’t let the bastards grind you down.
What advice do you offer to friends when they are feeling overwhelmed?
To let them know it’s O.K to feel like crap sometimes and although it’s easier said than done, try working through the problems pragmatically.